In the eMobility universe, Latin America is still in a trial phase: free charging stations, limited infrastructure, and economic uncertainty holding back deployment.
Roberto Cajamarca, Director of Knowledge Management at the Latin American Association of Electricity Distributors (ADELAT), provides insight into this trend.
“The region is still at a stage where electric vehicle (EV) charging is not yet a commercial business. Distributors are setting up charging points as experiments in Brazil, Colombia, and Chile, but in many cases, charging is still free, and the business hasn’t matured enough yet,” he warns.
In some countries, where infrastructure is progressing more than in other parts of Latin America, a new problem is emerging: the rapid obsolescence of equipment.
At this point, the expert notes: “There are very accelerated replacement processes and rapid obsolescence. This phenomenon is more visible in countries like Chile, which has made significant progress compared to Argentina, where the penetration of electric vehicles is very low.”
Public transport: the model that works
Unlike the uncertain business of charging for private vehicles, electric public transport seems to have found a formula.
Santiago de Chile and Bogotá are two examples where urban transport electrification is delivering tangible results.
“The success of electric public transport lies in the collaboration between the public and private sectors. It’s not just a matter of sustainability, but also of efficiency. Air quality has improved, and cities are seeing real benefits,” adds Cajamarca.
However, progress in this sector does not solve the underlying issue for private vehicles.
The infrastructure remains insufficient, and free charging is not a model that can be sustained in the long term.
The upcoming challenges in Latin America
Despite the current difficulties, Cajamarca sees an inevitably electric future for the region.
“Whether we like it or not, the vehicle fleet will eventually be electric. We need to find ways to address the immediate issues while starting to think about how to adapt and refine regulations to enable these new trends,” he explains.
One of the key factors will be regulating energy demand. On this point, the specialist notes: “For the system to be viable, differentiated tariffs must be implemented to encourage charging during off-peak hours.”
Investor Companies
In the Latin American region, several pioneering companies are leading the development and deployment of charging networks.
Among them are:
Blink Charging
Blink Charging operates a global network of approximately 85,000 chargers—3,000 in Latin America—with a presence in 32 countries, including investments in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Regarding new markets, three countries stand out.
Uruguay is the next territory where they plan to expand, while in Honduras, they are taking their first steps with their chargers, and in Colombia, they are beginning to establish their presence as a company.
As a “vertically integrated” company, their business models are characterised by being flexible and tailored to each of their clients.
Enel X
Enel X’s investments marked a turning point in the eMobility ecosystem in Latin America, and they are now one of the leaders in both technological and business model developments.
Jorge Cernadas, Marketing and Sales Manager for eMobility in Latin America at Enel X, shared the company’s projections, defining it as an “orchestrator” of the electromobility ecosystem.
What’s next in terms of solutions? Cernadas highlights the introduction of a new AC charger solution to the market.
This new product will not only be more affordable but will also offer greater functionality, benefiting all markets.
Enel X aims to focus on the GBT standard, as they believe it will experience “exponential” growth.
“We are conducting numerous tests with the GBT standard, and we already have operational AC and DC chargers in countries like Chile and Colombia, where vehicles are already being charged using this standard,” he states.
Vulletic
The Argentine company is developing a new 22 kilowatts charger model, customisable according to the client’s needs, with options such as LCD screens and integrated safety measures.
“By the end of this year or early next year, the new charger will be on the market, and from then on, we will incorporate chargers capable of managing two connectors or two cables simultaneously,” reveals Nicolás Capello, director of Vulletic.
ChargeboxNet
In a market just beginning to take its first steps towards adopting electric vehicles, ChargeboxNet understands that the key lies in offering solutions adapted to the local reality.
With this focus, the company recently launched a series of memberships designed for different user profiles.
From those with plug-in hybrids looking for a basic package, to those who have fully transitioned to electric and need more power. The offering is tailored to each need.
With exclusive benefits like six months of free charging for Renault users, ChargeboxNet is positioning itself as an infrastructure provider and a key partner in the transition to electromobility.
Crev
CREV, a company dedicated to charging solutions for EVs in Central America, officially inaugurated its new charging network that connects Guatemala to Panama.
This new network is designed to facilitate the movement of electric vehicles across Central America.
The network features 100 charging points spaced approximately 200 kilometres apart, ensuring that electric vehicles can recharge their batteries and continue their journey without issues.
In terms of capacity, the network uses continuous charging equipment with power levels starting from 21 kilowatts.
Sungrow
According to Héctor Nuñez, North Latam Head of Sales at Sungrow, the company has already made a significant impact in Latin America, with a presence of 16 gigawatts of equipment supplied in photovoltaic solar energy and storage projects.
But what’s next for the market? The company’s strategy focuses on integrating fast chargers with energy storage systems, leveraging its existing service network in key countries in the region, such as Chile, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
“Our headquarters’ experience has allowed us to develop products that go up to 600 kilowatts, but our proposal for Latin America will depend on the market’s needs,” Nuñez stated during the International Mobility Portal Summit.
Here, he hinted that the company’s eMobility division will follow a similar path to what it has developed in Europe, offering chargers ranging from 180 to 300 kilowatts.
“When?” is the question many are asking. According to the executive, the plan is to work on these systems by “the end of this year or early next year.”
To learn more about electromobility in Latin America, visit Mobility Portal Latinoamérica
